Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Question 1

What is a Pulmonary Embolism (PE)?

Answer 1

A blood clot in the pulmonary artery or branch of it in the lung causing difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, tachycardia, pleuritic chest pain (worse on inspiration). Treat with low molecular weight heparin eg enoxoparin and warfarin.
It’s the second leading cause of sudden death.

Question 2

What is thrombosis?

Answer 2

Pathological intravascular solidification of blood

constituents

Question 3

What is an embolism?

Answer 3

vascular obstruction at a site distant from the origin of the embolus

Question 4

What’s the pathophysiology of thrombosis?

Answer 4

Virchow’s Triad:

 Stasis/turbulence  Blood constituents  Vessel wall damage

Question 5

What investigations can be done?

Answer 5

 D-dimers
 USS/Doppler  sensitivity & specificity 97% proximal  75% sensitivity in leg
ECG

Question 6

What are some new oral anticoagulants?

Answer 6

Dabigatran is a direct thrombin inhibitor; rivaroxaban and apixaban are direct factor Xa inhibitors.